After a few years of running your furnace every winter, you know how it’s supposed to sound. So you'll likely notice if the unit starts making weird sounds. Some noises — like a few small pops or clicks prior to the warm air beginning to blow — are normal and harmless. But others could impair the equipment or even threaten your health if you neglect them. Among the possible noises that you may hear, here are nine that are worthy of an immediate furnace repair.
Scraping Furnace Noise
When you hear a sound like metal scraping on metal, this could mean the blower wheel has come loose from the motor shaft, or the wheel or motor mount has broken. No matter the exact problem, you should turn off your furnace if you discover a scraping sound and call a professional for an urgent repair.
Loud Boom at Startup
When your furnace starts up, the burners should ignite right away and get started heating your home. A loud boom at startup likely means the burners are dirty, which causes a delayed ignition. When the gas at last does ignite, you hear this terrifying furnace noise.
A small boom each time your furnace turns on could bust the heat exchanger, a costly repair that might require you to remove and replace the entire furnace. Don’t let it come to this! Switch off your furnace if you hear a loud boom at startup, and avoid using it again until it has been repaired.
Squealing or Whining Sounds
A squealing furnace noise generally implies poor lubrication. Shaft bearings and other moving parts require lightweight oil to function smoothly. If the parts are not lubricated, components grate against each other and cause needless wear and tear. Look into having this problem remedied right away to avoid premature furnace failure.
Chirping Noise
The sound of a bird entrapped in your furnace certainly warrants investigation. If you perceive chirping when you fire up the furnace for the first time of the season, it could simply mean your furnace is warming up after several months of no use. In cases like this, the sound should go away after a few cycles.
However, if the chirping does not end, it could indicate the pulley for the blower motor is misaligned or the mounting plate is contacting the blower wheel. This isn’t necessarily a safety hazard, but the only solution to eliminate the pesky furnace noise is to have a technician perform a repair.
Screeching Furnace
Screeching noises are clear and certain signs that the fan belt is wearing out. If the fraying belt splits, it could spin inside the furnace, harming other components and resulting in a much more expensive repair. Insulate yourself from this hassle by changing the worn-out belt sooner rather than later.
Repeated Clicking.
Some furnaces give off a rapid series of clicks when they switch on and off. There is nothing unusual about that. However, if the noise carries on longer than a minute or so, this could indicate an electrical issue. To avoid risking a house fire, call a furnace repair professional to fix the problem promptly.
Thwapping Sounds
The blower motor should perform smoothly when the furnace switches on. If you hear a thwapping sound that dramatically picks up speed as the blower gets going, this could mean something is stuck in the fan, and the blades are smacking it with each rotation. A straightforward repair should be all that's required to eliminate this bothersome furnace noise and protect against damaging the blower motor.
Rattling Furnace
There are several possible reasons for your furnace to produce a rattling sound. It might be as easy as a loose door cover, so start there. If the rattling remains, the most likely culprit is a failing blower motor. Treat this as a warning sign to have your furnace repaired before it is an urgent situation.
Whistling or Vibrating
When your furnace has an air intake vent issue, you will often hear a whistling or humming vibration sound. If the whistling or vibrating comes from a vent, your ductwork is likely detached, allowing conditioned air to release. These aren’t urgent matters, but if you have them fixed quickly, you’ll save money on your heating and cooling bills over the long haul.
Schedule Furnace Repair with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning
Are you uncertain whether the furnace noises you hear match these descriptions? It might be nothing, but for your peace of mind, the best thing to do is to call a professional. At Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer emergency furnace repair to get your heater functioning properly as soon as possible. Be confident knowing that we stand behind our work with a one-year, 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you’re dissatisfied with our work anytime in the next 12 months, we’ll get it corrected! For additional information or to arrange a furnace repair visit, please speak a Service Experts office near you.